By Joy Odor
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba has on Friday affirmed that several terrorist leaders, commanders and combatants have surrendered to the Nigerian military with more indicating interest to surrender.
The terrorist surrendered according to the DDMO in a press statement to newsmen in Abuja at the ongoing military operations across the Theater operations include; Yellow Jambros, Alhaji Mallam, Ardo Idi(Alhaji Lawal ), Lawal Kwalba, Salkado, Yellow Ibrahim, Gana’e and Babangida among others in the North Central.
He informed that these surrendering were occasioned by overtures from the terrorists leadership based on troops onslaught against them with non kinetic collaborative effort deployed to encourage the surrendering process
Gen Buba mentioned that, during the week under review, troops neutralised 135, arrested 185 persons, 61 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 129 kidnapped hostages.
The DDMO Boss opined that In the South South operational theatre, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of Eight Hundred and Eighty Nine Million Two Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand Twenty Naira (N889,233,020.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 113 assorted weapons and 2,415 assorted ammunition.
“The breakdown as follows: 72 AK47 rifles, 11 fabricated rifles, 15 dane guns, 3 locally made pistols, 8 pump action guns, 4 hand grenades, one RPG bomb and tube.
“Others are: 1,554 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 380 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 203 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 129 live cartridges, 28 shotgun cartridges, 500 empty case of MG ammo, 30 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 49 rounds of 5.7mm ammo, 165 live cartridges, 10 rounds of 9mm ammo, 38 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 3 handheld radios, 2 baofeng radios, 15 vehicles, 46 motorcycles, 28 mobile phones and the sum of N732,000.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 93 crude oil cooking ovens, 12 dugout pits, 37 boats, 127 drums, 41 storage tanks and 82 illegal refining sites. Other items recovered include one outboard engine, 4 speedboats, 3 HH radios, 4 motorcycles, 5 mobile phones and 14 vehicles.
“Troops recovered 909,800 litres of stolen crude oil, 71,060 litres of illegally refined AGO and 13,580 litres of PMS.
‘Nevertheless, troops will sustain its operational tempo in order to destroy or cause further surrendering by terrorists.
“Overall, troops will continue to find innovative solutions in tackling the myriad of security challenges confronting the nation and remain in a winning position in the war.
